The new Syrian government successfully thwarted a major plot by officers and members of the ousted Bashar al-Assad regime to seize control of Syria’s coastal provinces of Tartus and Latakia, with the aim of destabilizing the country’s political transition.

Since the ousting of Bashar al-Assad's regime, Syria’s new administration has concentrated its efforts on dismantling the country’s drug trade, a sector that fueled the economy of the former regime for years.

While Bashar al-Assad's escape to Russia was confirmed a day after fleeing Syria, the whereabouts of his brother, Maher al-Assad, remain unclear, as he disappeared when armed factions seized control of Damascus and toppled the regime, not seen since.